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best resolution for an LCD HDTV

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bobbypotluck

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 18, 2009
70
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So i'm trying to figure out the best resolution for using my macbook pro in clamshell mode. I think ever since i installed snow leopard the new resolution choices i have are not longer pixel x pixel, but actual TV resolutions, such as 1080i, 720p, 420p. In the past I've used SwitchResX to do custom resolutions for my tv but that dosnt seem to work anymore. I'm trying to find a resolution where text is easy to read. 1080i looks pretty but text is extremely small. 720p the text is larger and easy to see but is very fuzzy and not easy on the eyes. I guess this has something to do with the pixels on a tv being farther apart than that of a computer monitor.

Any body have any suggestions for good resolutions? It's a 32" LCD TV. I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable (Non-Unibody Macbook Pro). Overscan on or off help at all?
 
I'd run it at what ever resolution your TV is. If 1080 looks good and 720 looks bad I'm guessing you have a Full HD TV and can run up to 1920x1080.
Anything else will look a bit rubbish.

The text might appear small but I'm guessing your going to be using it for games/videos? So it shouldn't matter too much.
 
bobbypotluck said:
So i'm trying to figure out the best resolution for using my macbook pro in clamshell mode. I think ever since i installed snow leopard the new resolution choices i have are not longer pixel x pixel, but actual TV resolutions, such as 1080i, 720p, 420p. In the past I've used SwitchResX to do custom resolutions for my tv but that dosnt seem to work anymore. I'm trying to find a resolution where text is easy to read. 1080i looks pretty but text is extremely small. 720p the text is larger and easy to see but is very fuzzy and not easy on the eyes. I guess this has something to do with the pixels on a tv being farther apart than that of a computer monitor.

Any body have any suggestions for good resolutions? It's a 32" LCD TV. I'm using a DVI to HDMI cable (Non-Unibody Macbook Pro). Overscan on or off help at all?
Click to expand...

is the TV that you have 1080p or 720p? also if you are looking for clearer text try messing around with the sharpness setting on your tv.
 
For any TV that you use with a computer.. it should be 1080 resolution. Anything lower is just way too pixelated.
 
the max on my tv seems to be 1080i unfortunately. Messing with the sharpness and contrast and whatnot did seem to improve it a little. I notice though that some lines and text seem to "flicker". I guess this has something to with the tv refresh rate or maybe the text is in-between pixels or something. I was hoping to use my TV as a monitor for reading emails and word processing but its not easy on the eyes. 720p makes the text look even worse. This was all done using the "extended desktop" mode. Once i turn on mirroring, things get messy. The top bar gets cut off and my dock isn't visible. Using my macbook pro in clamshell mode dosnt seem as good of an idea now as it did before, unless anyone has any other suggestions. Seems like this solution is only good for videos, not so much for reading text or clamshell mode.
 
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